It’s December 1st, people. Only 23 more shopping days ’til Christmas. How will you keep track? T-Mobile Advent Calendar! It doubles as a trivia challenge, and answers the age-old question, “What sound do German reindeer make?” (turns out, the answer is “moo”). Yes, the Magenta Menace is apparently turning over a kinder, gentler leaf, going so far as to allow Rudy Pevenage, Jan Ullrich’s plump, bald Svengali, back into the team fold. Perhaps the Christmas spirit is contageous, as Ivan Basso, formerly one man with one goal (the ’06 Tour), is getting all dewey-eyed about trying for the maglia rosa again. This year’s Giro is, in most opinions, far more suited to Basso’s strenghts as a rider, but, with a number of big guns fixing their sites on that race this year (Simoni, DiLuca, Savoldelli), and some others (Ullrich and Landis) coming along for the ride, he might have a tough go of it.
One guy who seems to have his ’06 damn near dialed is Alejandro Valverde. The two-time Worlds RR silver medallist, TdF stage winner, and Vuelta podium finisher is planning a two-pronged attack next season – spring classics and Tour de France. While detractors continue to blab that Valverde is “unproven”, I refuse to be swayed by arguements like “rarely wins outside of Spain” and “has never finished a Tour de France”. At Courchevel this year, the Valviscerator absolutely put it to Basso and Rassmussen, and could have outsprinted Armstrong for the win on a tricycle. He got injured, took two months off, and beat everyone not named “Boonen” in the Worlds RR. He can not win outside of Spain all he wants; from the massif central to the mur de huy, the kid is sick. Another up-and-comer, Frank Schleck, who finished last season with a string of seconds to make most race winners jealous (and whose seven-letter last name contains but one vowel) spills his guts on his future plans in this Cyclingnews interview.
And then, there’s the UCI, covering it’s no split-stage racing backside by granting Pais Vasco an extra day by special extension, or some Eurocratic junk like that. So much for reducing the number of race days in the ProTour, eh guys? Finally, Fillipo Simeoni is about to find out just how much weight Lance Amrstrong has gained since retirement. About 10 pounds, you say? No, I’m talking about legal bulk. With several new accusations to fend off, and no pesky training to get in the way, I’d imagine Armstrong’s got enough lawyers under his command to simultaneously exonerate Charles Manson, Timothy McVeigh, and the 1919 Chicago White Sox. The trial begins two weeks from now. Read up on the details and Stage 18 of the ’04 Tour.
So much for reducing the number of race days in the ProTour, eh guys?
The UCI is considering cutting as many as four days from the itinerary of the major tours, including one of the two rest days.
https://www.procycling.com/news.aspx?ID=1765
I think it’s pretty clear by “major tours” the article means “Grand Tours,” which currently aren’t ProTour races. Though leaving the Grand Tours out would definately shorten things, I suppose…
Dario Cioni has joined the split-stage debate with regards to the Giro, and summed up what all us riders think: “I’m not happy about that, not at all. Let’s remember, they’re asking us to race twice on the last day of a three-week stage race, one of these stages being a hill climb. I’m not sure we’re going to ride that; not only because of the riders’ association, but also the team managers and sporting directors are not happy either – the only people that are happy about this are the Giro organisers and some retired riders, who don’t remember how hard it was racing.” The rider’s health is such a big issue now,” Cioni said with a sigh. “I don’t think this is really healthy for the riders. It’s not a double-stage on the first day of the Giro – it’s the last day – and we’ve already been on the bike for 20 days in a row. The last rest day is ten days before, anyway, and we’ve already done 3,500 kilometres and who knows how many climbs before that.”
If the organisers still want to run a double stage, said Cioni, do it halfway through, not on the last day. “There’s also a [unwritten] condition that says the last day is like a parade; they do it at the Tour – I can’t see why we can’t do it at the Giro.” Check out http://www.cyclingnews.com for the interview.
According to Danish TV2, CSC and Basso have anounced that Basso will ride the Giro after all. He will have a strong team at his side: Ivan Basso, Bobby Julich, Nicki sørensen, Andrea Peron, Iñigo Cuesta, Giovanni Lombardi, Michael Blaudzun, Volodymir Gustov and Christian Vande Velde.
https://sporten.tv2.dk/cykling/article.php/3295105.html